<strong>REFINER</strong> (See [[Occupations and Professions]]: <em>Coppersmith, Craftsman, Goldsmith, Silversmith</em>)<br /><br />

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<strong>REFINER, REFINING</strong> (<span class="hebrew">צָרַף</span>, <span class="gknumber">H7671</span>, and <span class="hebrew">זָקַק</span>, <span class="gknumber">H2423</span>, inflected as finite verbs and participles; many different Gr. words in the LXX are used, all meaning <em>try</em>, <em>refine</em>, <em>smelt</em>, <em>purify</em>, <em>smith</em>, et al.; NT <span class="greek">πυρόω</span>, <span class="gknumber">G4792</span>, is the Gr. verb in <bibleref ref="Rev.1.15">Revelation 1:15</bibleref> and <bibleref ref="Rev.3.18">3:18</bibleref>). The process of eliminating impurities, esp. from metals.<br /><br />

Normally, <em>refining</em> is a term used in reference to metals, but in Job (<span class="bibleref-error">36:27</span>) the word <span class="hebrew">זָקַק</span>, <span class="gknumber">H2423</span>, is used in reference to rain, and in Isaiah (<span class="bibleref-error">25:6</span>), in reference to wine. Since the basic meaning of this verb is <em>to distill</em> or <em>strain</em>, its use in cases of liquids is understandable. The more common word <span class="hebrew">צָרַף</span>, <span class="gknumber">H7671</span>, is used exclusively of metals except when used fig.<br /><br />

The process of refining was quite simple. It involved heating the ore to the melting point and then extracting the metal. The metal was refined by heating it to the liquid state and then skimming or blowing off the impurities, or dross. Naturally, such refined gold or silver was more precious and expensive. The altar of incense was made of refined gold (<bibleref ref="1Chr.28.18">1 Chron 28:18</bibleref>) and the Laodicean church was urged to buy such refined gold (<bibleref ref="Rev.3.18">Rev 3:18</bibleref>). The Bible provides some indication of the process. <bibleref ref="Ps.12.6">Psalm 12:6</bibleref> mentions the furnace, <bibleref ref="Isa.1.25">Isaiah 1:25</bibleref> refers to the chemical lye, and <bibleref ref="Jer.6.29">Jeremiah 6:29</bibleref> speaks of the bellows used to artificially create a draft.<br /><br />

The process of refining illustrates God’s dealing with His people; He is the refiner, they are the metal. So Isaiah can say fig., “I have refined you, but not like silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction” (<bibleref ref="Jer.48.10">48:10</bibleref>; cf. <span class="bibleref-error">1:25</span>). <bibleref ref="Mal.3.3">Malachi 3:3</bibleref> uses both Heb. words: “He will sit as a refiner (<span class="hebrew">צָרַף</span>, <span class="gknumber">H7671</span>) and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine (<span class="hebrew">זָקַק</span>, <span class="gknumber">H2423</span>) them like gold and silver....” The psalmist prayed for such a process when he said, “Test my heart and my mind” (<bibleref ref="Ps.26.2">Ps 26:2</bibleref>b).<br /><br />

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

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The ancient process of refining gold has already been described under METALLURGY (which see). Most of the Bible references are to the refining of silver (<bibleref ref="Prov.25.4">Pr 25:4</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Zech.13.9">Zec 13:9</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="Isa.48.10">Isa 48:10</bibleref>). The silver used by the ancients was probably obtained by smelting lead sulfide ore, rich in silver (argentiferous galena). After the ore had been reduced to a metallic condition, the lead was separated from the silver by blowing hot air over the surface of the melted metal. The lead was thus changed to lead oxide which, in a powdered condition, was driven away by the air blast. The resulting lead oxide, called in the Bible silver dross, was used for glazing pottery (<bibleref ref="Prov.26.23">Pr 26:23</bibleref>), a use to which it is still put by Syrian potters. The description of refining in <bibleref ref="Ezek.22.18-Ezek.22.22">Eze 22:18-22</bibleref> may indicate that a flux (compare "as with lye," <bibleref ref="Isa.1.25">Isa 1:25</bibleref> the <span class="auto-link">[[American Revised Version]]</span> margin) was sometimes added to the melted metal to dissolve the oxides of copper, lead, tin and iron as they formed, thus leaving the silver pure. Crude processes similar to those described above are used in the Taurus Mountains today.

Figurative:<br /><br />

In the various Bible references the refining of precious metals is used figuratively to illustrate the kind of trial God’s children are called upon to go through. If they are of the right metal the dross will finally be blown away, leaving pure, clear, shining silver. If of base metal they will be like the dross described in <bibleref ref="Jer.6.29">Jer 6:29</bibleref>,<bibleref ref="Jer.6.30">30</bibleref>. The refiner may blow fiercely, but in vain, for nothing but lead dross appears.

James A. Patch<br /><br />

Refiner